Bending machine



E. J. DE WlT'l BENDING MACHINE Dec. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July l5 1950 INVENToR.

wmf/fam ZG# Wma/Mz Dec. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15 1950 INVENTOR. M

Dec. 9, 1952 E. J. DE WITT 2,620,849

BENDING MACHINE Filed July 13,' 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 9, 1952 E. J. DE wlTT 2,620,849

BENDING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Il L /y 2J'` 9` ze ZZ 24 23 9 lllllll 22 k/ ,6, 2f wml /f l ,f l

l I 20 l' INVENToR.

Patented Dec. 9, 1952 'i BENDING MACHINE Edward J. De Witt, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Wallace Supplies Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 13, 1950, Serial No. 173,605

2 Claims.

It is a more specic object of the invention to j provide a bending machine which comprises a pair of spaced bending rollers arranged on xed axes and a cooperating movable bending roller which is mounted for adjustable setting and resetting relative to the fixed rollers whereby to facilitate the feed of the material being bent between the rollers and to permit repeated bends to be made to a predetermined diameter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine for bending metal rod or pipe ma- -terial into coil formation which comprises a pair of driven back-up rollers arranged on fixed axes and in relatively .close but spaced relation in .combination with a forming or bending roller or die which is mounted for adjustment relative to the back-up rollers to permit it to be set in spaced relation thereto for providing a coil of predetermined diameter with one pass of the material between the back-up rollers and the bending roller.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine for coiling pipe or rod material wherein a pair of spaced back-up rollers are arranged for receiving a length of pipe between the same and a forming roller which is mounted for adjusted reciprocable movement laterally of the back-up rollers, the rollers being so arranged that the path of movement of the material between the rollers may be predetermined by adjustment of the forming roller whereby coils of substantially constant diameter may be formed repeatedly on the machine without changing the adjustment of the forming roller.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a pipe coiling machine of the type described wherein the forming roller is mounted for predetermined adjustable movement relative to the back-up rollers and wherein the forming roller may be moved gradually from an initial position spaced from the back-up rollers to its final predetermined bending position during the beginning of the coiling operation without interrupting the movement of the material as it passes between the rollers.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vcoil bending machine wherein the back-up rollers are iixed and the bending roller is mounted on one end of a pair of hydraulically operated links and the other end of the links is mounted on a pivot which is adjustably positioned relative to the back-up rolls whereby the final bending position of the bending roller may be predetermined by adjustment of the pivot and the bending roller may be initially moved out of its final bending position to permit the material being bent to be placed between the bending roller and the back-up rollers, the bending roller being thereafter movable into nal bending position by extension of the links.

It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide a machine for bending metal pipe or rod material into coil formation which comprises a pair of spaced back-up rollers each having a xed axis and means for rotating the same in combination with a bending roller which is mounted on a carriage arranged for movement in a path extending laterally of the back-up rollers, the carriage being connected to one end of a pair of extensible links, the other end of the links being connected to a pivot formation which is adjustable along the path of movement of the bending roller carriage and power means for extending and contracting the links whereby the bending roller may be adjusted for bending successive coils of substantially the same predetermined diameter and whereby the bending roller may be initially moved out of bending position for insertion of the material between the same and the back-up rollers and thereafter gradually moved into the predetermined bending position relative to the back-up rollers.

It is another object of the invention to provide a coil bending machine wherein the forming roller is mounted for reciprocating movement relative to the back-up rolls and adjustable means is provided for determining the limit of the approach of the forming roll relative to the back-up rolls which adjustable means includes an abutment formation which is adjustable and a ram-actuated wedge movable between the abutment formation and an abutment surface associated with the forming roller.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a bending machine for fabricating curved shapes from metal pipe or rod material which comprises a pair of driven back-up rollers arranged on xed pivots and in spaced relation to each other in combination with a bending roller which is movable in a predetermined path laterally of the spaced back-up rollers and extending between the same, the bending roller being `front and back frame plates II and I2.

lrod indicated at 2I.

mounted on a movable carriage and means being provided for moving the carriage to selectively position the bending roller in an initial nonbending relation and in predetermined final bending relation relative to the back-up rollers.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the bending mechanisms which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation with portions broken away of a bending machine incorporating therein the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bending machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken generally on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken generally on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view taken generally on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a Section taken generally on the line 6-5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. '1 is a partial front elevation of a modification.

Referring now to the drawings', there is illustrated in Figs. l to 6 a machine which embodies the principal features of the invention and which is adapted to bend a length of elongate material into coil formation, the machine being particularly designed for the cold bending of relatively heavy material such as, for example, iron pipe of an inch or more in diameter. However the machine is adapted to bend materials of various size and cross section to provide curved shapes or coil formations of various kinds, depending upon the adjustment and operation of the same and the length and character of the material operated upon.

The illustrated machine comprises a relatively heavy and rugged supporting frame consisting of a base structure I0, front and rear wall forming plates II and I2, a top wall forming plate I3 and suitable connecting side wall forming members I4 and I5.

A pair of identical back-up rollers I5 are mounted in laterally spaced relation near the bottom and forwardly of the front frame plate II. The rollers I6 are carried on the forward ends of a pair of shafts I1 which extend a substantial distance beyond the forward frame plate II and which are journaled at I8 and I9 in the The back-up rollers I6 are provided on their edges with grooves 20 to accommodate material of cir cular cross section such as a round metal pipe or The shafts I1 are each provided wth a gear 22 which is located adjacent the inside of the front frame plate iI which is in driven relation with a gear 23 mounted on a drive shaft 24 which is also journaled between the front and rear frame plates II and I2 at 25 and 26 below and between the shafts I6. The drive shaft 24 is provided with a sprocket or pulley 21 which is connected by a chain or belt 23 with a sprocket or pulley 29 on the driven shaft 30 of a speed reducer 3I which is connected in driven relation with a suitable driving motor 32, the speed reducer 3| and motor 32 being mounted on the end frame plate I4 in any desired manner.

v A bending roller 33 of approximately the same diameter as the rollers I6 and having a corresponding groove 34 in the peripherial edge is mounted on a shaft 35 which is journaled for free rotation in a movable carriage 35 which com- 4 prises a pair of front and rear plate members 31 each of which is movable in vertically extending slot 35 in the front and rear frame plates II and I2. Each of the carriage plates 31 is provided along the inside vertical edges thereof with guideway forming grooves or recesses 39 and cooperating cover plates 40. The vertical edges of the frame plates I I and I2 which denne the slots 33 are preferably reduced in section as illustrated at 4I to provide a machined surface for closer fitting and alignment in the grooves 35 of the carriage plates 31. A cross bar 42 connects the carriage plates 31 above the shaft 35 and carries a sleeve 43 which is connected to one end of the lowermost one of a pair of links 44 which are pivotally connected to each other by a pivot pin 45. The upper end of the uppermost link 44 is secured to a sleeve 4G which is journaled on a cross bar 41 extending between a pair of front and rear plate members 48 which form with a top cross plate 49 a movable pivot block or frame 50 for adjustably positioning the upper end of the links 44. The plates 48 are provided with guideway formations and are mounted along their vertical edges for vertical sliding move'- ment in the slots 38 in the front and rear frame plates II and I2 in the same manner as carriage plates 31. The top cross plate 45 is rotatably connected intermediate its ends with the lower end of a vertically extending adjusting screw 5I. The screw 5I extends in threaded relation through a boss 52 in the top frame plate Il. The position of the pivot frame 50 and the cross bar 41 carried thereby may be adjusted vertically in the slots 38 by rotation of the adjusting screw 5I which is provided with a square head 53 for receiving a wrench or other operating tool.

A hydraulic operating cylinder 54 is mounted between the front and rear frame plates II and I2 by means of laterally extending pins 55 which are seated in bearing members 56 which are at tached in aligned relation on the inside faces of the frame plates I l and I2. The piston member 51 is pivotally connected at its free end on the pivot 45 which connects the links 44.

The hydraulic cylinder 54 is connected Vby suitable hose connections (not shown) with a.

'source of fluid pressure which may be housed in the base I0 of the machine, if desired, and which is controlled by an operating valve. By controlling the fiow of the fluid in the cylinder 54 the piston rod 51 may be moved into or out of the cylinder to contract or extend the connected link members 44 and thereby lto move the bending roll 33 toward and from the back-up rolls I6.

The pivot frame 50 provides an anchorage for the upper end of the links 44 which anchorage may be adjusted by operation of the screw 5I. The hydraulic cylinder 54 is positioned so that when the piston 51 is fully extended the links 44 are in fully extended relation and the bending roller 33 is at the lowermost limit of its move= ment away from the pivot frame 53. By varying the adjustment of the pivot frame 5D the final bending position of roller 33 may be varied while by controlling the movement of the links 44 the bending roller 33 may be initially moved out of bending position to permit the material being bent to be threaded into the machine and then moved gradually to iinal bending position.

A pair of pitch rollers 58 are arranged at opposite sides of the back-up rollers I6 and at the proper angle to the same to' vguide the material as it is fed between the back-up rollers I6 and the bending roller 33. Each of the pitch rollers 58 is mounted so that it may be adjusted toward and from the forward plate II on which it is supported to vary the pitch vor distance betweenv the coils when the material is being bent into a coil formation. The rollers 58 are mounted on a shaft 59 which is journaled in a pair of supporting end plates 6G projecting forwardly from a supporting bar or plate 6I which is provided with a central mounting member 62 arranged to telescope within a mounting socket 63 extending forwardly of and secured tothe front face of the frame plate II. The supporting bar SI is provided with a pair of rearwardly extending adjusting screws Sli which project through suitable apertures in a pair of plates 55 extending parallel with the frame plate I I from the socket forming member 63. Adjusting and locking nuts 65 are provided on the screws Sli so that the pitch rollers 58 may be moved to the desired position and locked against further movement.

The pivot frame 5a may be supplied with a pointer 61 and the forward plate II with a cooperating scale, indicated at 68, which is properly calibrated to indicate the curvature to which the material will bend when the pivot frame is adjusted to diierent positions for a particular size of material.

In using the device the screw 5I is rotated to adjust the pivot frame 5D to provide for the proper bending position of the bending roller 33 when the links 44 are extended by the hydraulic cylinder 54. The piston 51 is then moved to retracted position to contract the links 44 and move the roller 33 out of the bending position and away from the back-up rollers I6. The end of the material to be bent may then be positioned between the back-up rollers I6 and the bending rollers 33 after which the hydraulic cylinder 54 may be actuated to move the bending roller 33 downwardly either before or after` back-up rollers I6 have begun to rotate to feed the material through the machine. The fluid pressure in the cylinder 54 is in most cases controlled to gradually move the roller 33 to its final bending position after the back-up rolls IS have begun to rotate. The movement of the bending roll 33 to its final bending position may be accomplished very quickly relative to the movement of the material through the machine so that only a very short length of the material at the beginning of the operation is not bent to the proper diameter. This material may be removed as waste upon completion of the bending operation. The gradual movement of the roller 33 into final bending position after the material is started between the rollers eliminates the diiculty heretofore encountered in starting the material through the machine with the bending roll initially in bending position, particularly where a relatively sharp bend or a coil of relatively small diameter is being formed with heavy metal material. When the material is being bent into coil formation the pitch rollers 58 are initially adjusted to provide the desired distance between adjacent coils of the material.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a modified form of mechanism for controlling the movement of the bending roll, the remainder of the machine which is not illustrated being identical with that already described. The bending roll |00 is mounted on a carriage IllI which is slidable in a guideway |02 formed by slots in the frame plates ID3. A pivot or abutment frame or block IM is arranged for movement in the guideway IGZ above the carriage IDI and provided with an adjusting screw I5 connected to the top of the machine to adjust `it to the desired position in the guideway |02. The abutment frame |04 is provided with a roller I G6 which is mounted in supporting brackets IIJ'I on the bottom of the frame Iwhile the carriage II is provided with a corresponding roller ISB which is mounted in brackets H39 on the top of the same. A hydraulic cylinder I ID is pivotally mounted at I I I in the frame of the machine and the piston member II2 is provided on its end with a block H3 having the lower face H4 beveled on the outer end thereof, the top surface I I 5 of the block II3 being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of cylinder IIii. The block I I3 forms a wedge which is adapted to move between the rollers IGS and IDS' upon extension of the piston member I I2. With this construction when the abutment frame IM is adjusted to the desiredposition and the piston member II2 is retracted by controlling the fluid in the cylinder IIB the carriage IEiI carrying the bendingrroller |60 is free to move upwardly in the guideway |02 until the rollers IDE and I 08 engage, the bending roller Ili being moved away from the back-up rollers (not shown) with which it cooperates in the bending operation. After the material has been positioned between the bending roller |00 and the cooperating back-up rollers the hydraulic cylinder IID is actuated to move the piston II2 forwardly and engage the surfaces I I and I I5 of wedge block II3 between the rollers IBS and IGS whereby to force the carriage IIiI downwardly in the guideway |02 to carry the bending roller |00 toward the back-up rollers and move it into bending position rela tive thereto.

While specific details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated forms of the invention, it will be understood that other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A bending machine comprising a supporting frame, a pair of back-up rollers roatably mounted in spaced relation on said frame, said frame having a guideway formation extending laterally of said back-up rollers and aligned with the space between the same, a pair of support members mounted in said guideway, means for adjustably positioning one of said support members in said guideway in xed relation to said back-up rollers, a bending roller rotatably mounted on the other of said support members, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end to each other and pivotally connected at the other end to said respective support members, and hy draulic means connected to said links for extending and contracting said links, said links and said hydraulic means being so constructed and arranged that operation of said hydraulic means moves said bending roller away from said pair of back-up rollers a sufcient distance to permit a work piece to be positioned between the same and the bending roller, and thereafter moves said bending roller toward said pair of back-up rollers to a position for bending the work piece to a predetermined curvature by rotation of said rollers, and drive means independent of said bending roller to rotate said pair of back-up rollers.

2. In a bending machine, a pair of spaced plate members forming a supporting frame, a pair of bending rollers arranged in fixed relation outboard of said frame, said pair of bending rollers being mounted on spaced axles journaled in said 7 plate members, a guldeway in said plate mem'- bers extending laterally of the space between said pair of fixed bending rollers, a pair of carrages -mounted for movement in said guideways. means for adjustably securing the carriage remote from said bending rollers in xed relation in said guideway, a third bending roller arranged outboard of said frame on an axle journaled on the other one of v'said carriages, collapsible links pivotally .connected at one end to said pair of carriages, said links being connected at their other ends to each other and to a .power means and said power ineans being under the control of the Voperator for collapsing and extending said links Vto move said carriages relative to each other in said guideway, said links and said power means being so constructed and arranged that operation of said 'powerineans moves said other one of said carriages away from said xed bending rollers for positioning a workpiece therebe-i tween and thereafter moves said other one of said carriages towards said xed bending rollers for lbending' the work piece to a predetermined curvature and means independent of said third roller 'for driving said pair of ire'd bending rollers whereby to permit successive work pieces to be bent to predetermined curvature by rotation of said rollers.

EDWARD J. DE WITT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UN'ED STATES PATENTS 

